NBFF and OCFS Presents ‘The Big Sick’ with a Live Q&A with Star and Creators

On Dec. 7, Nanjiani and his wife, Emily V. Gordon, co-writers and co-executive producers of “The Big Sick,” stepped out of a black SUV onto a red carpet at the Lido Theater in Newport Beach for an Orange County Film Society screening of their romantic comedy.

The Orange County Film Society — a year-round outgrowth of the Newport Beach Film Festival — screened the film to members and presented the couple with an award for best original screenplay.

“It’s an honor. It’s amazing,” said Gordon.

“It’s awesome that people liked the screenplay and singled it out,” Nanjiani added. “It’s all truly because of (producer) Judd (Apatow) and (producer) Barry Mendel and Mike (Showalter) our director. If it wasn’t for them — they really, really pushed us.”

To date, “The Big Sick” has earned nominations from the Screen Actors Guild Awards for its cast and supporting actress Holly Hunter; from the Independent Spirit Awards for best first screenplay and best supporting actress; and from numerous film critics associations for the screenplay, supporting actress and other categories, such as best comedy and best movie.

American Film Institute has recognized “The Big Sick” as one of its top 10 movies of the year.

“To be in the conversation with all of these great, great movies, it’s really, really flattering,” Nanjiani said. “We’re very happy to be here. We did not expect any of this.”